AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Cameron Ridley scored 19 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and set a school record with nine blocks as Texas defeated Appalachian State 67-55 Tuesday night.
Javan Felix added 14 points for Texas (7-3), winner of five straight games, and Isaiah Taylor added 12. The Longhorns had 15 blocks, also a school record.
Frank Eaves led Appalachian State (2-7) with 20 points, one game after scoring a career-best 38 against Hofstra.
Eaves missed six of seven shots in the first half against Texas. But he hit four 3-pointers during the first 10 minutes of the second half, enabling the Mountaineers to pull even after trailing by 10 in the half.
Soon Ridley took over though, scoring 11 points in row during a span of less than four minutes - including three dunks.
Appalachian State missed 11 of its first 12 shots and hit 28 percent in the first half but managed to remain close to Texas, trailing by 34-27 at the break after leading by six.
Texas shot poorly as well - 37 percent. The Longhorns launched a couple of air balls, and 6-foot-11 Prince Ibeh bounced a dunk attempt off the rim.
TIP-INS
Appalachian State: Taking advantage of Texas' inconsistency at rebounding this season, Appalachian State had more offensive rebounds (5) midway through the first half than then-No. 3 North Carolina grabbed (4) in an entire game against the Longhorns on Saturday.
Texas: Cam Ridley ranks seventh nationally in field-goal accuracy with 66.7 percent before Tuesday's game. .. Guard Javan Felix was named national player of the week by the United States Basketball Writers Association after scoring 25 points, including the game-winning shot, against then-No. 3 North Carolina on Saturday.
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Texas honored its 1989-90 basketball team that reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and featured Lance Blanks, Travis Mays and Joey Wright, known then as BMW. The team was introduced at halftime Tuesday, including coach Tom Penders, who was forced out in 1998. Shaka Smart, the Longhorns' first-year coach, encouraged the reunion and also has reached out to other former Texas players. ''Shaka Smart is not only maybe the brightest young coach in America, he has a feel for these kind of things,'' Penders said.
UP NEXT
Appalachian State hosts Charlotte on Saturday afternoon.
Texas is at Stanford on Saturday.
